Oonya Kempadoo facts for kids

Oonya Kempadoo (born 1966) is a talented writer who creates exciting stories. She was born in the United Kingdom, but her family came from Guyana. Her father, Peter Kempadoo, was also a writer! Oonya has written four popular books: Buxton Spice (1998), Tide Running (2001), All Decent Animals (2013), and Naniki (2024). She even won a special award called the Casa de las Américas Prize.

About Oonya Kempadoo

Early Life and Education

Oonya Kempadoo was born in Sussex, England, in 1966. When she was five years old, her family moved to Guyana, where she grew up. Her family has roots from different places, including India, Africa, Scotland, and the Americas. Later, she studied art in Amsterdam. She has also lived in other beautiful Caribbean places like Trinidad, St. Lucia, and Tobago. Today, she lives in St. George's, Grenada.

Her Journey as a Writer

Oonya Kempadoo started writing seriously in 1997. Her very first book, Buxton Spice, came out in 1998. This book tells a story about growing up in the countryside, and some parts of it are based on her own life. The New York Times newspaper said it was "superb," which means really, really good!

Her second book, Tide Running, was published in 2001. This story is set in Plymouth, Tobago, and follows the adventures of two young brothers, Cliff and Ossie. Tide Running was so good that it won the Casa de las Américas Prize for the best English or Creole novel.

Both Buxton Spice and Tide Running were nominated for the International Dublin Literary Award. This is a big award for books from all over the world. Buxton Spice was nominated in 2000, and Tide Running in 2003.

In 2011, Oonya Kempadoo was invited to a special writing program at the University of Iowa in the United States. This program brings writers from different countries together.

Awards and Recognition

Oonya Kempadoo has received many honors for her writing. Judges for the Orange Prize, another important book award, called her a "Great Talent for the Twenty-First Century." As mentioned, she is also a winner of the Casa de las Américas Prize.

Her third book, All Decent Animals, was released in 2013. This book was even recommended on Oprah's 2013 Summer Reading List! Another famous writer, Karen Russell, praised it, saying Oonya's writing was "incantatory, dense, and lush," which means it's almost magical and full of rich details.

Her most recent book, Naniki, was published in 2024. It was recognized as a finalist for the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction at the 2024 Governor General's Awards, which is one of Canada's top literary prizes.